Stories, Observations, and Musings From a Social Voyeur

Open Letter to David Crosby

I am sitting here listening to If I Could Only Remember My Name and I am giddy with excitement about getting to see you here in Atlanta on opening night for your 2016 Lighthouse tour. The other day I was killing some time watching some interviews on YouTube and I came across an interesting interview with Graham Nash. In this particular interview, Graham had a few choice words to say about you and kind of played himself up as this “man of the fans” kind of person. Well, let me just say that I waited out side after his show to hopefully meet him and tell him thank you for all the music. I had my now deceased dad’s copy of Wild Tales with me and all I wanted was a few minutes to just thank him face to face. I saw him come out of the backstage door with two guards and he blew right past me not even looking me in the eye and boarded his bus. Then he sent a guard out to get my album so he could sign it for me and then sent it back out. While this may be a great experience for the autograph seekers, for the singer/songwriter who has been so inspired and influenced, it was just a signature on a record but it was still something that I appreciated.

So why am I saying all of this? Because I know that my chances of getting that opportunity with you is slim to none so I just thought I would take a moment to just tell you all the things I would like to tell you right now. When I was lost as a musician back in 1994, I was looking for a new path, a new journey. My father and I were never close and we rarely talked but one thing we would do quite a bit is to sit in the living room and listen to his CSN albums. We wouldn’t talk but it was almost as if we talked through the songs. David, you were my man. Like how everyone has a favorite Beatle, you were my favorite CSN member. Your music moved me, inspired me, and spoke volumes to me and to this day it still does.

The evening my father passed away, the first song I listened to was “Carry Me” and I just smiled to myself knowing that he had spread his wings and surely flew home. Croz, your music has always been a source of inspiration, hope, and promise for me. From “Lee Shore” to “Cowboy Movie” to “Laughing” to “Homeward Through the Haze”, there is a Croz song for every mood, every place that I am standing in my life. Anyways, I’m sure these are all things that you have heard a million times but I just wanted the opportunity to let you know how much your music means to me. As I sit up in the balcony watching you, I will probably scream out for a few oddball requests but I will be taking in the music, the experience, and adding it to the pieces of my life that shape me and make me a better person, singer, and songwriter.

David, I don’t think I could ever find the right amount of words or even get them all out in a brief meeting so I hope you will read this and know that you, your life, your words, and your music mean the world to this 43 year old folksinger, songwriter, poet, and dreamer. David, you sing to us that “Music is Love.” Well, it’s David Crosby’s Music that is true love in my book. Thank you for all you have given me and may your journey continue on to be a fun, safe, and inspirational one.